Toy racetrack systems in which toy vehicles are raced around a track have existed for many years. These racetracks systems have propelled or driven the car about the track in a variety of different manners.
One popular racetrack system which has been developed utilizes a partially elevated track so that a car placed upon the track is gravitationally accelerated down a slope and along the track. This racetrack system is somewhat limiting since the car must be manually set back upon the elevated portion of the track each time it is raced.
Another popular racetrack system utilizes a car with an electric motor and a racetrack with an electric power supply with embedded electrode rails along the entire length of the racetrack. An operator controls the speed of the car by controlling the voltage potential between the rails. This type of system is commonly referred to as a slot car set. The tracks of these systems are comprised of several segmented sections which are coupled together end to end. However, over time the electrical connectors between the rails of these sections become worn, bent or broken, rendering the track inoperative. These race car sets also do not require a great deal of skill to operate and therefore their operators quickly lose interest in their operation.
Racetrack systems have also been designed with boost stations which accelerate the car forward by placing a force upon the car. One type of boost station utilizes two spinning wheels between which the car is passed so that the spinning wheels propel the car forward. Another type of boost stations has been designed which utilize an electromagnetic coil sized and shaped to encircle the track and a car made of magnetic material. Current is passed from a battery through the electromagnetic coil so that a magnetic field is created which causes the car to accelerate, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,218,164. As the boost from these systems is quite weak, this system must utilize several boost stations in order to propel the car completely around the track. The use of several boost stations is inefficient and costly. Also, should the electromagnetic coil be energized after the car has passed the center of the coil the resulting magnetic field will pull the car backwards towards the coil. This backwards pull will retard, stop or reverse the direction of the car. This may result even if the operator properly commences the energization of the coil but then delays releasing the trigger and thus stopping the energization.
It thus is seen that a need remains for a system for propelling a car around a track in a manner which requires operator skillfulness and yet in an efficient manner. It is to the provision of such that the present invention is primarily directed.